Red flag patterns
- "Fast-paced environment" — frequent context-switching, unpredictable priorities, pile-ons
- "Wears many hats" — unclear role lanes, ill-defined responsibilities, understaffed teams
- Resilience / thick skin language — normalized pressure, high conflict, poor planning culture
- Vague responsibilities — unclear ownership, undefined success metrics
- "High visibility" — always-on culture, meeting overload, little protected focus time
- Heavy communication skills emphasis — informal politics, unspoken social dynamics
Green signals
- Clear expectations — defined scope, explicit success metrics, structured onboarding
- Autonomy language — flexibility, trust, ownership of your work
- Psychological safety signals — mentorship culture, async communication, remote/flexible options